Bmw e36 m3

[Eric Coffey]

Originally Posted by speeder

Thanks, everyone. I knew that I'd get some real world experience here. Everyone knows that the European cars got the different engine and trans, the difference was actually 75 HP, (240 vs. 315).

Hmmmm, I thought they were rated for at least 320hp (conservatively), as I seem to remember the Euro 3.2L being touted as the first to put out over 100hp per liter. Maybe a DIN vs SAE thing...

Regardless, it sounds like a "decent" US example would fit your needs, which should be easily do-able for under $10k (and likely near half that even, if you are willing to overlook a few things).
No sense it paying a premium for a garage queen if you are just going to flog it mercilessly.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by Eric Coffey

Hmmmm, I thought they were rated for at least 320hp (conservatively), as I seem to remember the Euro 3.2L being touted as the first to put out over 100hp per liter. Maybe a DIN vs SAE thing...

321PS, 317 SAE.

Various versions of the 3.0 made anywhere from 286-299PS. A few rare versions of the 3.2 made 326PS.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by Eric Coffey

No sense it paying a premium for a garage queen if you are just going to flog it mercilessly.

Sensing OP is seeking a garage queen.

As to the car, I can say that it, a US 94 M3, driven in 96-ish was the most memorable "perfect" feeling sports vehicle I have ever experienced.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Eric Coffey

Hmmmm, I thought they were rated for at least 320hp (conservatively), as I seem to remember the Euro 3.2L being touted as the first to put out over 100hp per liter. Maybe a DIN vs SAE thing...

Regardless, it sounds like a "decent" US example would fit your needs, which should be easily do-able for under $10k (and likely near half that even, if you are willing to overlook a few things).
No sense it paying a premium for a garage queen if you are just going to flog it mercilessly.

Maybe ten years ago. $10k now gets you one w a LOT of miles or in just lousy shape. Check BAT results for e36 M3s. $16k gets you a decent, (but not spectacular), car in a common color. $20K gets you a nice one in a rare color.

They are out there for $5k but modified and absolute POS cars. When a German sports car is this cheap, (under $20k), you would have to be an idiot to buy anything less than the best. The schit one will wind up costing the same in short order and it will still be a high mileage POS.

If I could still buy a creampuff 911SC or 3.2 Carrera for $20k, I'd be on it like a hobo on a ham sandwich and DD the crap out of it.

[strupgolf]

As a longtime bmw owner, having all kinds, I have to say my m3 e36 was the worst. It seemed to be cheaply built. It was a 95. All my others were built solid as a rock. Do a search on here and you'll find a post on someone else looking for a m3. Good luck.

[ZOO]

Originally Posted by speeder

Can you elaborate? I've looked at e46es but ultimately realized that I don't like the styling and friends who owned them new told me that they were underwhelming cars, a little too heavy and not sports-oriented enough. That plus their known issues has moved them off of my list. E36es are 200 lbs. lighter and have the best factory seats ever put in a car.

It likely comes down to how you want to use the car. I tracked both, extensively, and the S54 is so much more powerful than the SB52 in the M3. The E46 also has room for more tire, and already has much better brakes from the factory.

The interior quality was also much better, and in my five years of ownership I never once replaced a window regulator or had an issue with door latches.

To be fair, my E36 M3 was a daily driver, and by the time I acquired my E46 M3 I was able to use it as a dedicated “fun” car.

The E36 was quite a bit more affordable to run — remember it has far less bespoke M parts than the E46.

I think you will love either one. They are different, but both are wonderful. I sold my E46 for more than I paid after five years and lots of track miles. First person who looked at it, bought it. I should have put it on auction, given all the interest.

[ZOO]

If I had a collection, I’d like to have a coupe with no rear spoiler. Mine was an M3/4/5 — a four door five speed.

For perspective, my GTI feels a lot like my E36 M3 in terms of power and size, whereas the M2 feels much more E46 M3 ish (with way more torque and power).

[mrbeverlyhills]

Originally Posted by speeder

Maybe ten years ago. $10k now gets you one w a LOT of miles or in just lousy shape. Check BAT results for e36 M3s. $16k gets you a decent, (but not spectacular), car in a common color. $20K gets you a nice one in a rare color.

They are out there for $5k but modified and absolute POS cars. When a German sports car is this cheap, (under $20k), you would have to be an idiot to buy anything less than the best. The schit one will wind up costing the same in short order and it will still be a high mileage POS.

If I could still buy a creampuff 911SC or 3.2 Carrera for $20k, I'd be on it like a hobo on a ham sandwich and DD the crap out of it.

Yeah, I can vouch this on pricing; even 5 years ago maybe for $10 grand but nowadays that only buys you an east coast car that some pimply faced millennial worked on himself.
And the lies that come out of kids' mouth these days. Never been tracked? How come it has 3 point Schroth belts in front, because what, the brakes are that good?
As with any car, try and buy the seller; if there is junk in the Porsche world, that goes double for M3s. On the BMW forums currently there are about 15 M3 coupes for sale, all with stories and all with some fatal flaws, on CL in CA there are 10 more, 2 with salvage titles or over 200k miles.

I know of a few good cars Speeder, if you email/pm me I can pass on what I know.

[G50]

Ok cars, nothing special, worst of the 3 series line

[rattlsnak]

A few local examples.. and you can get plenty of e46s for @ $11-15k also..

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/eat/cto/d/snellville-1999-bmw-e36-m3-coupe-5/6785480673.html

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/d/cumming-1997-bmw-m3/6773185500.html

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/d/atlanta-1999-bmw-m3-cosmos-black-115k/6775030331.html

[mrbeverlyhills]

I think looking back at the 1st post, there was a collectability element. Not sure the e46 meets that.

[ZOO]

Originally Posted by mrbeverlyhills

I think looking back at the 1st post, there was a collectability element. Not sure the e46 meets that.

Without doubt an E46 M3 with a six speed has become an appreciating asset. Even in the most common colour combo of silver exterior and black interior.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by ZOO

Without doubt an E46 M3 with a six speed has become an appreciating asset. Even in the most common colour combo of silver exterior and black interior.

Just like the e36, they sold a lot of them and many are crap at this point. A bone stock car w 6-speed and under 100k miles is worth some $$, if it's an absolute creampuff in Laguna Seca Blue or some other highly desired color, the sky is the limit. Or at least $50k is the limit, (on BAT), where cars w average miles are selling in the teens right next to it.

Condition and miles are everything on these old cars. I'm supposed to look at one tomorrow that is pretty virginal. A lot of the comments on this thread refer to cars that made porn movies half their lives and had a bad meth habit.

I currently own an E92 M3, and a few years ago I bought my daughter's E36 M3 and drove it for awhile before selling it off.

The E36 was fun, and did everything well. She bought it a 65K and drove it for several years, putting a lot of miles on it. But it was expensive--it needed both a VANOS rebuild and a new cooling system during her ownership.I bought it at 110K miles and sold it fairly shortly afterward.

The E92 is a blast and I love it. It is stupid fast, and has that incredible 414 hp V8 that revs to 8200 rpm and is probably one of the last normally aspirated V8 screamers we'll see. Mine has DCT, which is cool, but I usually just let it shift itself. It is configurable in multiple combinations of shock settings, steering heft, shift speed, and throttle response. Fun stuff to have. Yes, she's a big girl, but in today's world, I'm OK with that.

The E92 is still depreciating, and nice-ish ones are out there in the mid-20s. I expect it to bounce pretty good when people look back on what they no longer can get.

Oh--and I should add that the car has been pretty reliable, though not cheap. I had the potentially troublesome rod bearings done before I took delivery (split the cost with the dealer), and I replaced the throttle body actuators as a precautionary measure. Only unplanned problem was a leaky front seal that I had replaced. Bought the car 18 months ago at 77K and it now has 99K.

[Bravoaloha]

I can't say enough about my e36. It is not an M3, but a '99 328is that came from the factory with the M-Tech kit (M3 trim). I was in the market for an M3 but this 328 came up and I was purchasing it as my first car. It had tasteful aftermarket goodies making it close to as quick as an M and I was happy to save on the insurance and went for it.

I was that aforementioned teenager that bought one when they were cheap(er) and mercilessly beat the hell out of it. High school, then to Baltimore for college, driving back and fourth from NJ to there. Drove it for another year or so after school and then parked it.

My dad was tired of sharing his very nice '86 Carrera at the track with me so he sternly, but fairly told me to put my bimmer on track. After sitting for about two years, I threw a battery in her and started her right up. Changed oil, put new coils in and a few other misc. items and tossed her on the track no problem. Later I did the cooling system, suspension, seats harness bar and all the bushings.

After all that abuse I never really had any big problem with the car. Bought at ~110,000 miles and she has close to 170 now. Crashed her on the LIE last summer and now she is sitting.

Love the car and I will do what I can to someday do a full restoration and make her prettier than ever. We will see if I can hold on to her long enough to be able to make the kind of money I'd want/need to do a restoration, but I can't say enough about those cars. Get one!

[mrbeverlyhills]

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1997-bmw-m3-96/

[Eric Coffey]

Originally Posted by speeder

Maybe ten years ago. $10k now gets you one w a LOT of miles or in just lousy shape. Check BAT results for e36 M3s. $16k gets you a decent, (but not spectacular), car in a common color. $20K gets you a nice one in a rare color.

Yeah, I haven't been following the prices that closely, but I 'd think you should have the pick of the litter for $20k. There were a couple Euros on BAT not too long ago and both went for sub $20k numbers IIRC.

Still, the $10k-ish price point is in line with my suggestion of sourcing something "decent" instead of a cream-puff. I only brought that up because you mentioned the lack proper storage/shop facilities, and the fact that you would likely not keep it for an extended period. So, it wouldn't make much sense to pay a premium for a garage queen if you can't store/maintain it as such, and will likely pile on the miles.

And by "decent" I mean something mechanically sound/well maintained, but maybe with miles on the higher side and/or minor cosmetic issues.
Even if $10k is a bit optimistic for something in that category, it should be well do-able for under $15k.

Looking at LA/SD Craigs, these might be worth a peek, possibly:
https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/d/irvine-rare-1995-bmw-e36-m3-coupe-mt/6773827454.html
https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/cto/d/riverside-1999-bmw-e36-m3-coupe-clean/6788703145.html

Or, maybe you can rescue this one from it's current "stance bro" life:
https://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/cto/d/los-angeles-e36-m3/6776811413.html


Here's one in my hood for $12k that might be decent:
https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/cto/d/scottsdale-1995-bmw-m3-e36/6785214743.html

For a non-BAT data point, this one just sold in your hood for $13.3k (was listed on CL with an eBay link):
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1998-BMW-M3-E36-/163434263097?nordt=true&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m43663.l44720

[porsche4life]

Good luck with what you find! We had a nice 97 M3/4/5 in Estoril over Dove lux interior for a while. Excellent car and my folks just got soft on owning it long term. If they’d held it two more years they’d have made some money. 🤣🤣🤣

Super fun car to drive though, comfy on a long highway, and an animal on a twisty road. I’d have another no doubt. Stay away from that damn factory wood grain though. It tries to flake off, and I think the black plastic has aged way better.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by mrbeverlyhills

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1997-bmw-m3-96/

That thing is going postal.